Bosnian president to visit Pakistan on Oct. 9-10

President of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bakir Izetbegovic, will be visiting Pakistan on Oct. 9-10 at the invitation of President Asif Ali Zardari, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

During his stay in Islamabad, President Izetbegovich will meet the president and the prime minister. The ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence will also call on the Bosnian president, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

He will also address the business community of the two countries. In addition, the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) will confer an honorary doctorate on President Izetbegovic.

"His visit would not only help further enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries particularly in trade, investment, education and defence, but would also provide an opportunity to exchange views at the highest political level on various important international issues of mutual interest,"the statement said.

President Izetbegovic is the son of late Alija Izetbegovic, the revered former President of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The last presidential visit from Bosnia took place in 2004 when Mr. Sulejman Tihic, the then President of Bosnia, paid a state visit to Pakistan.

Pakistan extended support to the people of Bosnia, especially during their struggle for independence, and Bosnia supported their Pakistan brethren during the devastating earthquake in 2005 and floods in 2010-2011.

Pakistan and Bosnia and Herzegovina enjoy excellent relations deeply embedded in shared values and mutuality of interest on major global issues of common concern. The two countries also jointly pursue the common objective of global peace and stability in international forums, the Foreign Ministry said.